Somewhere Close
by Digital-Momster
Summary: "Maybe Marinette was the right person to go after. She was quiet, caring, compassionate….he was certain she would fill every void Ladybug ever left in him." -In which Adrien decides it's time to move on from Ladybug before he gets hurt.
1. Moving On

Summary: "Maybe Marinette was the right person to go after. She was quiet, caring, compassionate….he was certain she would fill every void Ladybug ever left in him."

A/N: I have several chapters planned, but I don't want to write them unless they are wanted. Let me know, and I'll be sure to give. Thankie!

* * *

Black hair, blue eyes, freckles, the sound of gentle laughter, and red. Somewhere, _someone_ held all of these characteristics. Adrien knew she was somewhere close. The smell of frosting and mint stayed with him every night as he fell into restless sleep. No matter how hard he searched, though, she always found a way to slip from between his fingertips. Thus, Adrien decided it may be time. If his Lady did not wish to be found, he would not find her. In fact, as his seventeenth birthday skidded closer, Adrien wondered if after all of his chasing, all he would catch was his own tail.

All of Adrien's love, desire, and respect was driven directly to the mystery hero. He left none for those he knew deserved the best. Nino, Alya, Marinette…even Nathalie deserved more kind words than he had ever supplied her. And all of this was because of his concentrated effort on _His Lady_. The nickname felt bitter when he spoke it now. Was he allowed to call her that anymore?

Their partnership was drawing to a close. Plagg had informed him after patrol one night, "Hawkmoth's presence has disappeared. He hasn't attacked in nearly a year. If the inactivity continues, I will have to go."

He hadn't anticipated keeping Plagg hidden away for the rest of his life, but Adrien didn't realize their departure from each other would be so soon. They stayed up late that night, whispering about the reasons Plagg wasn't allowed to stay. Why small crimes weren't enough of a reason to be kept in a teenager's duffle bag every day. Why, no matter how much they loved each other, Plagg was not a permanent part of Adrien. And, neither was Ladybug.

All of this was too much for a teenager. Perhaps letting go of the affection he held for Ladybug before she slipped away from him forever was the proper thing to do. And, finally, Adrien was ready to find someone realistic. Someone _real_. Adrien knew with his bad luck, he'd find himself back at Ladybug's mercy no matter what he did.

How right he was.

* * *

There was a lull in Adrien's life. As Chat Noir, he only needed to patrol once a week. Paris was finally peaceful. As civilian Adrien, his school work was slowing as winter break approached, and his father was too busy to remember that his son had more free time. For now, Adrien was able to focus his energy on his friends.

"Will I be graced with Adrien Agreste's presence after school three days in a row?" Nino asked. He was leaning back in his chair, bobbing his head to whatever music was playing from his headphones.

Adrien's toothy grin was all the answer that Nino needed. The two girls behind them were chattering away, but Adrien smirked knowingly as he turned, "Would you guys wanna join?"

Alya confirmed with ease, but, as expected, Marinette's voice fell short. She mumbled and stumbled. In the few weeks since Adrien had decided to move forward from his affection for Ladybug, he had discovered that Marinette's eyes were so easily focused on _him_. Adrien was unsure if his playful flirting with her was because his Chat was showing or if he really wanted to take her on a date. Either way, watching her face turn a dark crimson red made Adrien want to push further.

"Y-yeah! What are we doing today?" Marinette finally managed.

"Just," Adrien leaned forward, placing a hand atop her desk, "hanging at my house." He gave his most professionally kind smile with a wink. His hand lingered on her desk, yearning to reach out and grasp her own. Finally, he turned around and began taking out his class materials.

Everyone else in the group, though, sat still. Marinette's mouth was popped open in surprise, her hands placed on either side of her face in embarrassment. Alya was staring at Nino in anticipation for an explanation. Nino was shrugging, wide eyed as he turned to his best friend, "What," Nino hissed under his breath, "was that?"

"An invitation to my home." Adrien said.

"That was _not_ and invitation. That was a seduction, what the hell?"

Adrien couldn't disagree. Hell, he didn't really want to disagree. Maybe Marinette was the right person to go after. She was quiet, caring, compassionate….he was certain she would fill every void Ladybug ever left in him. With a decisive nod, he turned back to look at Nino.

"Think I have a chance with her?" Adrien asked.

Nino laughed, doubling over as tears began to pool in his eyes. After wiping said tears away, his head lifted, "Bro, you're an idiot."

Before Adrien was able to come up with an appropriate response, the teacher had arrived, and everyone's focus was onto physics. Everyone except for Adrien himself. His thoughts were elsewhere. He would find the perfect way to woo the girl behind him.

* * *

Adrien waited a few days to move forward. By this point, he was certain Marinette was the perfect girl for him. Her blushing face, her soft smile, her sweet voice…they were all too addicting. She slipped into his dreams every night, and every day, Adrien found himself less interested in discovering the mystery of Ladybug, and ever-so-more interested in discovering the mystery that was Marinette.

He spotted Marinette closing her locker, clutching her belongings close to her chest. Adrien snuck up to her, "Hey."

She jumped. Adrien could hardly breathe at how sweet her laugh was once she realized who had surprised her, "Hi, Adrien!" She looked up at him through thick eyelashes. Every ounce of Adrien's willpower pooled into not leaning down to kiss her. Instead, he pushed his arm against the locker she had just closed, towering over her.

"Mind if I walk you home today?" Adrien asked quietly.

Marinette seemed to contemplate her answer. She appeared cool and collected, but Adrien was certain that she was acting. Her feelings for him were obvious, and the Chat Noir side of Adrien only enjoyed playing this game of "Cat and Mouse" even more knowing this. As he waited for an answer, he boldly brushed a loose strand of Marinette's hair back behind her ear. Her shoulders tensed, only making Adrien chuckle.

"I'd love the company." Marinette said.

"Purrfect." Adrien said. He quickly recognized his mistake. Too much Chat was never good. Adrien made a quick note to set boundaries for his level of Chat-ness. Marinette, on the other hand, didn't seem to mind. She relaxed, smiling broadly before turning around and beginning her walk to the school's front doors.

Adrien quickly jogged to catch up to Marinette. Somehow, following her felt so natural. They easily fell into step, never missing a beat before beginning casual chatter. All the while, Adrien struggled not to stare at her as her nose crinkled, giggling at something he'd said. His heart leapt as the same lock of hair he'd brushed back fell in front of her face again. She was so mesmerizing, so lovely, he could hardly keep himself from closing the distance between the two of them.

He was broken out of his trance when she halted in front of a store window. It was a small fabric store. Marinette's eyes were glossed over with fascination as she looked over the store's interior, "See something worth your time?" Adrien asked. Marinette hardly paid him any mind. Her hand rested against the window pane, leaning further into the window. Adrien smiled. Seeing this much excitement from her was beautiful, "We can go in if you'd like."

"Oh, I can't. There's no reason to drag you around." Marinette said, swatting away his offer. She turned to leave, but Adrien caught her arm.

"I'd love to look around."

With a short nod and a tender smile, Marinette rushed to the fabric shop's door. Somehow, Adrien found following Marinette's lead so intoxicating familiar. He hoped she would allow him to follow her a bit longer.

* * *

Luckily, Marinette didn't seem to be in a hurry. She led their way through each aisle of fabric, examining each one as if they were in an art museum. She held up several swatches for Adrien to judge, but every time she did, he couldn't do much else but agree with her choices. After dragging out the process as long as they could, they made a small purchase and left. Adrien held the bags for her, despite all of her fussing. They began their chattering again, laughter and comfort resting between them.

Eventually, though, they had to find themselves at their destination. Adrien began to shift the bags to Marinette, and their short adventure seemed to be coming to a close. He may have _felt_ certain when he began the day, but now Adrien had no doubt in his mind that the new apple of his eye was none other than the baker's daughter herself.

"This was-"

"Marinette-"

They had begun speaking at the same time. Their cheeks both turned a pink color as they waited for the other to continue. Adrien rolled back on the balls of his feet, a hand rubbing the back of his neck, "Marinette, I was wondering…"

"Yes," Marinette said quickly. Her eyes grew wide, her hand coming to cover her mouth, "I-I mean, uhm-" Adrien laughed. His head tilted to the sky, his eyes shut. _Thank God_.

"I'm glad you said yes," Adrien said, "because I'd really like to take you out on a date."

"Yes."

Adrien's head snapped to watch her. Her eyes were downcast, a vibrant red across her cheeks. With a sudden burst of confidence, Adrien's hand came forward to cup her face. He leaned down to capture Marinette's eyes with his own. She was too beautiful for her not to be told every day, but for now, Adrien settled with, "I'm so glad a pretty girl like you is willing to give me a chance."

Adrien was certain that she had been twisted around his fingers for some time now, but he didn't want to indicate he had any clue of her crush before now. He hovered a few more moments before backing away. They stood and spoke only a few moments longer before Marinette rushed inside her parents' bakery. The shy girl really had captured Adrien's attention. What was he to do?

Adrien found himself comparing the color of her cheeks to the color of Ladybug's suit.

* * *

They had exchanged phone numbers properly before they departed. Plagg was eager to get home, and hardly allowed Adrien to enter the house before complaining about his lack of a full belly.

"Can't I just enjoy this moment before you make demands?" Adrien asked aloud with his back to the front door. Plagg zipped to the kitchen quickly. Adrien didn't hesitate to leave the kwami in the open. No one was home, anyway. As he ascended the stairs, Adrien heard a sigh of relief from the kitchen. Certainly, the small creature had found his precious cheese.

Adrien decided then a text would be okay. It wasn't too soon, right?

A-Mind if we go ahead and make those plans?

The house was silent, but Adrien was sure his heartbeat could be heard all the way downstairs. In a weak attempt to calm his nerves, Adrien considered everything that had brought him to sending the message. He thought over the curve of her lips when she smiled, the spark in her eyes when he spoke to her, the way her hair fell when she turned to look at him. All of those pieces of her were too beautiful, he could hardly remember to breathe. In fact, it wasn't until his phone buzzed that he realized he hadn't remembered.

M-Sure!

God, even with one word, she had comforted Adrien's tense, rigid body. He held the phone close before replying.

A-Do I have a budget?

M-What?

A-Am I allowed to spoil you like the lovely Princess you are?

M- Adrien…how can I accept that? It's too much!

A-I can take you to the movies instead if that's more in your comfort zone.

M- That's fine!

A-Your excitement is sooo cute. Mind if I tell anyone?

M-You wanna?

Here, Adrien hesitated. Of course he did. In all three years of his public school adventures, never once had Adrien accepted a date, yet alone _asked_ someone on a date. But, he had yet to consider if this was something Marinette had wanted to share with her classmates. Specifically, Chloe may end up being trouble for the couple if their date went well.

A-Yeah? Do you not?

M-I just wasn't sure if you wanted everyone to know.

A-I want to tell the world right now.

And, thus, it was decided. They set the details of their date, texting back and forth the rest of the night. By the time she boldly sent a heart emoji next to her "goodniiiight Adrien", the boy was so captivated he could barely sleep.

* * *

The next day, Adrien enjoyed his usually annoying morning routine. Even with Nathalie reading his schedule to him at an empty breakfast table, Adrien was content. "Adrien, are you listening?" Nathalie had repeated for the third time. Adrien nodded, although he was uncertain of what exactly he was supposed to be modeling today.

"Nathalie, I have an affair to attend to on Friday, and I would greatly appreciate it if there weren't any conflicting events," Adrien said. He pushed his breakfast plate away while he waited for a reply.

Just as Adrien feared, Nathalie sighed, "Why? Your father has requested you be home every Friday, you know that." Her eyes were soft, though. Although her job restricted her from immediately complying with his every demand, Nathalie was always concerned for the amount of pressure Adrien had on his shoulders.

Adrien decided the truth was his best option, "I erm-" he began, "I have a date."

To his surprise, Nathalie began jotting down his request on her tablet. Her mouth was pressed in a thin line, and then she looked up at him with a serious expression. Nathalie murmured an excuse to leave before turning sharp on her heel and exiting. Adrien was left to bathe in his surprise.

The clacking of Nathalie's shoes echoed through the empty house. Adrien could hear her headed to her office to make phone calls. It was in that moment that Adrien became acutely aware of how much his father's assistant cared for him. After his own mother's disappearance, Nathalie may as well have taken her place. Adrien had neglected to notice how much effort Nathalie put in to his well-being. Adrien blamed his stupid adoration for the partner who would never love him back. All because of his dumb obsession with being Chat Noir.

He heard the door to her office open, "Nathalie," he called, "Thank you. You've always been so helpful."

He heard the door close quietly. He wondered if she heard him.

* * *

Adrien had the oddest feeling that he'd forgotten something.

 _32 missed calls from "~Alya~, 18 unread messages_

Shit. He'd yet to tell Nino about the date, but Marinette obviously already told Alya. Fourteen of the unread messages were from Marinette. Ten apologizing, three explaining that Alya was very excited for them, and one…Adrien smiled.

M-I hope you'll still want me on Friday after all Alya's aggressiveness. I'm excited!

Suddenly, Adrien couldn't wait another moment to get to school. He wrote a short explanation of the previous night to Nino and then immediately ran out the door. He hardly remembered a thing from the drive to school. Was he allowed to reach for her hand now? Marinette's soft voice lingered in his ear. The way she murmured his name nervously was so enthralling, Adrien yearned to hear her say it again.

Had Ladybug ever called for Chat like that?

* * *

"What the hell?" Nino growled as his best friend sauntered up to him. Adrien gave a toothy grin before pulling Nino into a hug.

"Ah, be happy with me, asshole." Adrien said as he released their hug. And, Nino was.

Before Nino could ask for more details, Alya was already hanging on Adrien. Her glare was aggressive as she spoke, "Alright, Adrien, lemme just say that my girl is smitten with you, ya know," she huffed a few stray hairs away from her eyes before continuing, "and so I feel like it's important to watch out for her heart."

Adrien could feel where this was going, "Listen, Alya, I promise I'm not screwing around. I'm serious."

Alya leaned in, hands on her hips. She stared at him for a long moment before giving the boys a wide grin, "You can't blame me for being cautious. She's been obvious for _years_ now, but you never made a move. What gives?"

"Truthfully," Adrien shrugged, "my eyes were set on someone else. But, it didn't work out. It never would have. But, it's over, I'm over it, and I'm ready to move on."

Alya watched him quizzically, deciding not to question the subject further. The three teenagers stood for a while longer talking. Adrien was reminded of how easily he'd forgotten to pay attention to his friends lately. With every ounce of him poured into finding his Lady, Adrien had left little time for those he loved most. He watched quietly as Alya flipped her hair delicately over her shoulder, laughing as Nino struck a dramatic pose.

How had he allowed himself to miss out on this all this time?


	2. Hesitation

Of all of the things Adrien expected to hear come out of Nathalie's mouth when he arrived back from school, it was not what actually came.

"Adrien, your father demanded your girlfriend fill out this paperwork."

"Excuse me?" Adrien shrugged his bag off of his shoulder as he walked up the stairs. He heard Nathalie follow him. Obviously, this was no joke.

"He, erm, he is worried her presence in your life will be detrimental to your studies and career. I did, however, convince him that she should be given the opportunity to prove this assumption wrong." Nathalie said. She held out a thick pile of papers to Adrien. Was his father seriously asking for his date to fill out a questionnaire before they were allowed to see each other?

"I didn't expect anything different from my father," Adrien murmured. He watched Nathalie for a moment before adding, "but I know you did all you could. For me. Thank you, Nathalie."

The pair spent the next hour reviewing exactly what was expected from the questionnaire. Adrien wasn't worried, though. He knew that of all of the girls he could choose, Marinette would easily be the one Gabriel Agreste would approve of. Nathalie seemed tense, though. She admitted to seeing the girl once, and she was unsure if Gabriel would approve of someone so _soft_. Perhaps his father would prefer someone stricter, but Adrien didn't really _care_ what he wanted anymore.

* * *

The bell rung above the door. Adrien flinched, but still found a way to smile at the broad man in front of him. In an attempt to delay the inevitable, Adrien ducked behind a display of cupcakes. But, one can only stare at the same purple frosted cupcake for so long before attracting attention.

"Is there something I can help you with, son?" The man asked as he approached. A sudden feeling of fight or flight struck up in Adrien. For once, though, the Chat in Adrien pushed through, and he smiled up.

"Actually," Adrien straightened his posture, "I was hoping to talk to Marinette. If that's okay, that is."

The man laughed, clasping a hand onto Adrien's shoulder with a big smile. "You could have said that, you know, instead of staring at the same display for over ten minutes."

With nothing more than a quick wave and a few more laughs, the man disappeared from Adrien's vision. There was a few moments of silence, in which Adrien contemplated just running away, before Marinette appeared in front of him. For once, Adrien was left speechless. Marinette was lightly dusted with flour, her hair the slightest bit disheveled. She was attempting to straighten herself out while Adrien stood motionless.

"Are you okay, Adrien?" She asked, "Dad didn't, uh, freak you out did he? He's very nice, I promise!"

The only reply she received was a muffled groan and an armful of papers. She peered down at the bundle. Adrien tapped his foot, watching her flip through the first few pages. The farther she looked through the packet, the sterner her face became.

"Is this for…me to fill out?" She asked. She didn't look up at him. Marinette licked her index finger before flipping to the final page and then giving a nod.

"Yeah. You've met my father before. He's," Adrien struggled to find the right word for his father, "interesting…at best. Obviously if you feel pressured or anything we can just call the whole thing off and th-"

"No! No, this is fine, I promise." Marinette said. She held the papers tightly to her chest. "I just will need a little time. I can give it back to you tomorrow, though, at school."

Adrien resisted the urge to clutch his chest in response to the way his heart skipped a beat. Her face was the most delicate shade of pink he'd ever seen. Not only was she _agreeing_ to a ridiculous questionnaire, but she didn't even seem bothered by the task. _She is such a genuine, sweet, and cute girl, huh?_

* * *

"I'm so glad you agreed! I wasn't sure if you'd be okay with this. Some of the questions are…" Adrien trailed off, watching Marinette scan through one of the pages.

"Do you intend to arrive unexpectedly? Do you intend to provoke Adrien Agreste to sneak out? Do you intend to be a distraction during any of the following activities: school, fencing, fittings, photoshoots, or study sessions?" Marinette read aloud. Adrien blushed at how aggressive his father's questions were.

"I'm sorry, Marinette. I doubt a single date with me is really worth any of this." Adrien said.

Marinette shook her head violently. "Adrien, no! Going out with you is-," she paused, looking away from Adrien, "it's something that means a lot to me. This _is_ worth it." She hid her face behind the packet. She kept herself hidden until a firm hand reached out and pushed the pages away. Adrien smiled down at her.

"I'm glad…really, really glad."

The pair watched each other tentatively. They didn't dare to move away from their position. Adrien loomed over the girl, staring into her eyes. He felt guilty for comparing her eyes to those of Ladybug. He felt even guiltier for imagining Ladybug in this situation. Would she blush the same rose color? Would she look up at him, eyes wide and hopeful?

With very little of a goodbye, Adrien rushed away from the store. Away from his date. Away from a potential girlfriend. _I am the worst. I am a terrible, unworthy person. Marinette deserves better than an asshole who thinks of another girl when with her_.

When Adrien arrived home, his body shook. Never before had he felt like such an idiot. Adrien had genuine feelings for Marinette. The way her eyes lit up with excitement when she talked about designing was intoxicating. The way her freckles danced around her face with every smile she held made Adrien's stomach churn. Yet, he couldn't stop from comparing her to Ladybug. Ladybug, who had never once returned his advances. Ladybug, who, after years of partnership, was going to disappear from his life soon.

He hardly recognized the familiar feeling of Plagg resting on top of his head. "Kid," the kwami said with a yawn, "why do you look so upset? Isn't this what you wanted?"

Of course it was. A pretty girl with not a mean bone in her body. The way she said his name could move mountains. Every time someone brought her up, Adrien got cottonmouth. His feelings for her were true, but something didn't add up.

"Plagg, I feel so torn. I thought that once I began falling for someone, Ladybug's face would disappear from my dreams. But, she's still in the back of my head. She won't leave me alone." Adrien hid his face in the crook of his elbow.

Plagg nuzzled into Adrien's hair. He contemplated asking for cheese, but held his tongue for once. "Adrien, you aren't the first Chat to deal with loving a Ladybug. Just…what do you want to do right now? Try following your instinct." Adrien stared off into the distance for a long while, only deciding to move when the patient kwami finally broke and asked for a snack. Plagg began rambling idly, but Adrien never replied.

What was Adrien supposed to do? Had any Chat Noir ever successfully snagged his Ladybug? It wasn't supposed to matter anymore. Marinette was _real_. She wouldn't disappear, she wouldn't deny his flirting, and she wouldn't call him mean names. Yet…

"Plagg, transform me. I know what I want to do."

Plagg's tired eyes met Adrien's. They were questioning, waiting for some further explanation. "What is it that you want to do?" Plagg finally asked as he swirled into the air. The two combined, and Chat appeared quickly. Chat stared out the window for a moment before answering.

"The only person I want to see right now is Ladybug."

* * *

Something wasn't right. Ladybug spotted the difference in Chat as soon as he carefully landed on their usual meeting area. His tail flicked gently between his legs, his ears resting tightly against his head. God, he was just like a real kitten, right in front of her. She sat down first. She waited for him to sit next to her as he always had, and always would. Or, Ladybug thought.

"My Lady, I know-" Chat Noir sat beside his bug, not once making eye contact, "I know this isn't our regular time. We usually meet on Tuesdays, but…"

"Chat, what's wrong?"

"Is it possibly that I can say everything and nothing is wrong all at once?" Ladybug didn't answer. They stared ahead, both aware that something between them was changing. Chat leaned into her the slightest bit. For some reason, though, it felt as though he was getting farther away.

At one point, Chat started to cry. Ladybug gripped the side of his head closer to her shoulder as a way to comfort him. She couldn't tell if it helped. All Ladybug could be certain of was that there was more of civilian Chat in front of her than her usual crime fighting partner. When his tears stopped and they were sure no criminal activity was going to happen under their watch that night, Ladybug began to speak again.

"Chat, what if Paris doesn't need us anymore?"

Adrien's eyes shot up to his Lady's. Although in costume, he couldn't bother to call himself Chat Noir when he was so obviously acting more like Adrien. He waited a moment, hoping that maybe she would answer her own question, or maybe she didn't want an answer. But, sadly, she watched him and waited for some kind of explanation of their future.

"Then, well, they don't need us." Adrien said.

She sat in silence for a few moments before it seemed to click in her head. "So, uh, what happens to Tik- to our kwamis?"

"They leave. And, we leave, too. Leave Paris to protect itself, leave our secrets behind us, and I guess that means we leave our partnership too."

Again, the silence swallowed them whole. Ladybug realized then why Chat had asked if it was possible to feel like everything and nothing was wrong all at once. Paris, resting quietly below them, was safe. Their friends, loved one, strangers…they were all safe from the dangers that the duo had been fighting for so long. Somehow, not being needed was bittersweet for the two. They laid against each other, memorizing the feeling that was both trust and comfort that rested between them.

"We can live normal lives." Adrien said. Ladybug nodded, her head resting against her partner's lap. They stayed pushed together, whispering nostalgic stories of their heroism until they throats hurt and the sun was beginning to rise. Somewhere in the mix, Adrien stopped feeling so bad, and his Chat began to show again. He made sure to slip in as many puns as he could, as if he was never going to tell her how "pawsitively purrfect" she was ever again.

When their miraculouses beeped for the first times, they pulled each other in closer. They had decided that after that night, their partnership would resume as normal. They would act as if their lives as superheroes weren't ending. They would fight, patrol, and fist bump as they always had. Nothing would change, until it had to.

At the second beep, Chat purred into the top of her head, kissing it affectionately. Ladybug nuzzled up into him. He whispered, "I think I've fallen in love in my civilian life."

She whispered back, "I've been in love for a long time."

The third beep rang, and they both decided it was time to separate. They held each other at arm's length and tried to soak in as much of their partner as possible. They needed to remember every curve of their face, every freckle, every blemish.

A fourth beep only brought questions. Chat asked first.

"Might we just…reveal our identities before we disappear? I don't want to lose you."

She didn't even bother to answer him. She cupped his cheek, not daring to open her mouth. Chat held her hand as he leaned down on one knee to kiss the back of it, "Then, my Lady, I'm sorry to say I must leave." They waited until the cusp of the fifth beep was coming. And, for once, Chat was the first to leave, and Ladybug watched him go, wishing he had been able to stay a moment longer. Maybe she would have changed her mind.

* * *

 **A/N:** And there's chapter 2. Follow me phoenix-wright0. Expect the next update in about a week again! And, thank you for the great response!


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